Te Araroa Trail Waitomo Te Kuiti
We were all up and out of the Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park at 7.30am today for another beautiful Waikato morning on Te Araroa trail.
Anja did a blackwater rafting experience at the Waitomo caves, and Markus and I walked the trail. Things started off a bit slowly… I could feel the wine from last night – my legs felt empty!
Allergies!
The trail was solely through very hilly farmland today, including the infamous “tunnel of gorse” which is still a tunnel of gorse contrary to the trail notes saying it had been cut back. Despite having taken two, 1-a-day hayfever tablets this morning, the allergies kicked in really badly around 9am. I took 2 more tablets, used eye drops, and ended up wrapping my Buff around my face .. to no avail. I stopped every 10 mins to sneeze, blow nose, wipe eyes, put in eye drops etc..
Marcus gallantly and patiently waited for me as I dealt with my exploding face, but by 10.15am I sent him on, as I was getting really narky and didn’t wish to burden him any further! I collected my sorry self, took 2 more tablets.. which worked 30 mins later and I was even able to open my eye again! I eventually caught up wth Marcus a couple of hours later at the top of a rather magnificent high viewpoint over looking Te Kuiti.
Te Kuiti
We descended into Te Kuiti and went to Boscoe’s cafe for late lunch.
I had a chicken burger, fries, coke and a smoothie. I’m LOVING that I can eat as much as I like right now!!
We Met Ben and Natalie again and we restocked our food and medical supplies. We’ve got a few days in the wilderness coming up including the Timber trail.. I’m very excited! I camped in Casara Mesa backpackers. I had a whole head of broccoli, a pack of asparagus and parmesan cheese for dinner.